


Babysitter

by oncetherelivedaboy



Series: On A Strangers Doorstep [9]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-21 00:13:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9522200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oncetherelivedaboy/pseuds/oncetherelivedaboy
Summary: For the first time in awhile John and Alex have a night out.Anon request for Angie babysitting





	

Philip must secretly know of their plan, because Alex swears he’s plotting against them. He’d screamed for the entire night, nothing had calmed him down, not even when Alex had laid him back down, gave him some space for a few minutes. Sometimes they just wanted to be left alone, even as infants, but his cries had pierced to a higher pitch when he’d left the room and he’d scooped the boy back into his arms, wiping away with big blubbery tears from his cheeks.

He eventually settles down once the sun starts to shine through the windows, and he buries himself in the dark material of Alex’s shirt before dozing off. He sighs heavily, going to put him into the crib but the minute he makes an attempt to pull him away from his chest he wakes up again, the screaming beginning again and Alex wants to scream, but he just bounces the boy lightly, and holds him close. When he falls asleep again, Alex doesn’t try to set him down, just climbs back into bed next to John, who will be up in less than an hour to get ready and take Frances to school, and then go to his own classes. He’s taking summer classes again, this year, meaning he’ll be certified in a few months. It’s a Friday, they have a date night planned for later in the evening, even with Philip conspiring against them.

It’s when the uncontrollable tears continue throughout the day that Alex gets worried. He felt warm but Alex wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, he found a thermometer. He had a little fever, likely he was just starting to teeth. Alex had a few of the toys that could be chilled and chewed on in the fridge.  He didn’t seem to want to eat either, as he kept pushing the bottle away, screaming even louder with each new attempt. He hadn’t eaten since around 2 that morning and it was nearly noon now.

“Honey, you have to eat.” Alex would say, trying to bounce him again before retrieving the now slightly chilled toys he’d put up. He calmed a bit when Alex pressed the toy gently between his gums, and he began to suck slowly on the toy. By the time he was finished with his toy the formula would be bad. He placed a few of the nipples for the bottles into the fridge, hoping that would entice him to eat when prompted.

It didn’t help much, he got halfway through the bottle that followed before starting to push it away again. He didn’t nap at his usual time today either. The tears just kept falling as he stuck his little balled up fists into his mouth. He texted Angie to ask if she could pick up some of the teething gel before she came over. He doesn’t expect a reply, and tosses his phone onto the counter, replacing the bottle top with another of the cold ones and Philip takes it again without much hassle. Alex sighs in relief and heads to the living room, dropping onto the couch into the living room with the somewhat calmer Philip.

It’s Peggy who arrives on the scene, armed with a plastic grocery store bag as she bypasses the doorbell to instead pick the lock and find Alex, laying on the couch with Philip on his chest, both of them starting to doze off. She drops the bag next to the couch after quietly closing the door.

“Hey Pegs.”

“You look like shit.” She says as she rips open the box to find the little tube of gel inside.

“I see you’re still not one for introductions.”

“You do the gel, my hands are dirty and I don’t want them grosser with baby mouth slime.”

“He’s asleep right now. I don’t want to wake him up.” Alex says, shifting slightly and Peggy stands up and disappears into the bathroom around the corner. Alex takes a deep breath, watching Philip rise with the movement of his chest, the tiny fists balled around pieces of his shirt. He closes his eyes again. A moment later cold damp hands find their way to Philip, and Alex’s own arms tense around the baby and his eyes fly open, only to find Peggy standing back over him.

“I was going to take him so you could get some proper sleep.” The girl says, and his arms relax as she moves him gently enough not to stir him into consciousness.

“Wake me up if he gets fussy again.” He says, rolling over to face the inside of the couch, glasses still on his face, as sleep overtakes him in moments.

He wakes back up to a set of soft voices and when he turns he finds Angie holding Philip in her arms, holding a bottle up for the infant as he ate contently.

“John’s home.” She says when he turns, though her eyes are still focused on the baby. “He’s upstairs taking a shower, told me to let you sleep, and Frances is with Lafayette in the kitchen.” He nods as he sits up, crossing the room to take over with Philip but Angie pulls away from him.

“Go get ready for your night, Philip will be fine with me.”

“You’re already babysitting tonight…”

“Alex, I can handle him.” She smiles, stretching her pinky down from the bottle to tickle his stomach. “Go get ready, you two haven’t had a night out in months.” He peeks his head into the kitchen only to have Lafayette shoo him away when Frances glances his way.

Dinner is nice, they laugh, and John’s hand holds his across the table. The wine has just a touch of sweetness to it, and the food is marvelous. They opt out of desert, instead deciding to go to a little ice cream shop that boasts 105 different flavors. They taste test as many as they can before settling on a scoop that’s made with coconut milk with pieces of mango mixed into it, and a chile chocolate one. They sit outside, just the slightest bit tipsy from their earlier wine. Around them the city hums with the nightlife, and the warm spring air. Angie had told them not to come back too soon, she could handle Philip and Frances had already taken Peggy upstairs to show her the skirt she’d made the weekend before. John had made dinner for the the three girls while Alex had taken a shower and gotten ready. Alex had changed into a pair of forgiving but still nice pair of jeans. He wasn’t shedding all of the baby weight anytime soon, even with the workouts, he’d likely have to wait until he was back on his hormones to really lose the weight and allow the fat to redistribute itself where it should be. He didn’t really mind the softness of his stomach though and John wasn’t complaining, at least Alex never took the kisses he traced across his skin to be anything less than affectionate.

After dinner they contemplate stopping at a club to go dancing, but when John yawns and drops his head onto Alex’s shoulder as they head that way Alex hails a cab and gives the driver directions back home. John mumbles something in protest of going home so early, but he’s tired. Alex would much rather enjoy lying on the couch at home with John across his chest while a movie played in the background. He isn’t sure when it became that way, he’d never seen himself as someone to be domesticated, to enjoy quiet nights in over parties and clubs but here is. When had turning in at 11:30 become so much more enjoyable.

“Are we old?” Alex asks to no one, but the cabbie laughs.

“Son, you’re going to make me feel old, I started driving cabs when I was 19, and that was almost 40 years ago.”

“I’m sorry…” The man waves a hand

“I used to think I hated it to, wanted to be a businessman, a real big shot.” He laughs to himself. “It was to impress this girl, real pretty thing with the quickest mind I ever saw.” Alex smiles as he brushes a strand of John’s hair out of his face.

“How’d that go?”

“Well, we renewed our vows 5 years ago. You’re not old son, trust me on that.”

He parks in front of their building and Alex quickly pays him, catching sight of his name tag. Benny tips the lidded cap as he climbs out. John manages to follow him without too much trouble.

Inside they find Angie in the living room, Philip asleep against her chest as she watches the cooking channel and Peggy is lying across the couch, an open book over her face. Angie turns when she hears the door open and makes a face.

“It’s not even midnight, since when are you Cinderella.” She sighs, and stands. Keeping a tight hold on the baby. “Frances is up in her room.” At the moment the girl comes bounding  down the stairs, throwing herself into John who lifts her with a bit of difficulty and spins her around, kissing her head.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in bed Cheri?” Alex asks and she shakes her head.

“I couldn’t sleep.” She says and Alex spies the candy wrappers in the trash.

“Too much sugar?”

“That was Peggy.” John’s eyebrow goes up questioningly.

“Alex honey can you take care of Philip while I tuck her back in.”

“Why does Philip get to stay up at night?”

“Because he’s a baby and trying to enforce a rigid sleep cycle on him now is impossible.” She huffs in John’s arms and he smiles and Alex takes Philip from Angie.

“How about I read you an extra chapter tonight?” She shakes her head.

“I wanna sleep in your bed tonight.”  There’s a pause for a moment, and a mischievous grin forms on her face. “And you read two extra chapters tonight.” John laughs at her trying to be serious. “I’ll read the usual two chapters and you can stay in our room. I’ll fall asleep if we try anymore.”

“Ok!” That wasn’t hard, and he’s glad she didn’t try against because he knows he won’t be able to resist.

Alex walks Peggy and Angie to the door, giving them each a one-armed hug before they leave, and follows John up the stairs, passing him as they stop in Frances’ room to grab her book. He lies Philip in the crib next to the bed, before changing into pajamas and getting ready for bed. When he’s finished washing his face John already has Frances tucked under the covers, setting the book on the nightstand so that he can get ready for bed himself.

By the time John gets into bed Frances is already asleep, still sitting up as she’s propped herself up against the pillows behind her. Frances moves automatically to her father. Alex’s hand rests next to the sleeping Philip, as he does every night. Alex takes another moment in the dark after John flips off the light on the nightstand, after John’s brushed his lips against Alex’s bare shoulder. In the quiet dark, there are only the soft rhythmic sounds of their varied breathing.

“Love you Alex.” John says the sleep evident in his voice, and Alex smiles.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> oncetherelivedaboy.tumblr.com


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